To help visually impaired individuals whose livelihoods were affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) sent out food packs for them.
“Regardless of the current challenges that we are facing, the Red Cross will always be there,” said PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon in a statement issued Thursday, Aug. 26.
“We stand to provide hope for the most vulnerable whom we serve without discrimination,” he added.
On Aug. 25, PRC volunteers and staff from the PRC Cebu Chapter sent out food packs to unemployed PWDs.
PRC Cebu Chapter Administrator Vera De Jesus said that a beneficiary - who has been in touch with Gordon for support since the early onset of the pandemic - called for help.
In no time, the PRC Cebu Chapter provided food packs containing rice, sardines, luncheon meat, baked beans, Vienna sausage, and chicken liver. “All in all, we gave food packs to 14 visually impaired individuals, and 15 day workers (no work, no pay - barber, driver, salon worker, laundrywomen),” De Jesus said.
That beneficiary was identified as Rosendo Lacaba, Jr., a blind masseur, who extended his gratitude to Gordon and the PRC.
Lacaba said that the “ayuda” from PRC and Gordon was a big help to his family - especially to his five children and his pregnant wife.
Due to the pandemic, Lacaba said that he has been jobless for over a month now. “Sana po marami pa po na katulad ko na nahirapan ngayon na ating pandemic, matutulungan mo (We hope you can help many more others like us who are having difficulties during the pandemic),” he added.
This week, the PRC Cebu Chapter will also be rolling out its food trucks to provide hot meals for health workers at Vicente Sotto Medical Center and the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)-affected Poblacion Guadalupe in Cebu.